Railroad-spike.



s'rnwan'r E. 'MCMILLIN, or AWRENCE, KANSAS.

RAILROAD-SPIKE.

and more particularly to that class having a locking device associated therewith.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved means for mounting a locking device in a railroad spike for securing the spike in a rigid position with respect to the tie and rail.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved locking device having means associated therewith for holding the locking device in an operative position with.- in the spike.

A further object of my invention is toprovide an improved form of locking device for a tie having means'forinedon the lower end thereof for facilitating the engagement with the tie.

provide a device of operation and A still further object of my invention is to the character described that is simple in construction, efficient in one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a minimum cost.

Other objects as well as the nature, characteristic features and scopeof my invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims forming a part 'of this specification. I Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of my invention, partly in section locking device in a position before being I applied to a tie; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the tie and rail showing my invention applied thereto in a locked position; and Fig. 4

is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line H of Fig. 3.

Referring more'particularly to the draw,-

ings wherein similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views, I provide the shank 1 of a spike with a head 2, the lower end of the. shank being beveled to form a point 3. The rear face 4 of the spike is provided with a longitudinally arranged inwardly extending Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1914i. Serial No. 8333498.

in connection upper end of showing 1 especially the edge 12 of the hook 11. This Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

recess 5, the lower end of which tapers to a point 5 and 1S provided'with a tapering inner wall 6 which extends upwardly toward the rear face Pivotally mounted in the alining openings 7 by means of a pin 8 and positioned between the side walls of the recess is a locking ele ment 9. Thelocking element in this instance conforms substantially to the contour of the recess and consists of a shank 1.0 which is enlarged intermediate its ends and provided with an opening for engagement with the pin 8 and has its lower end formed into a substantial hook 11, the sides of which are beveled to form a cutting edge 12 which terminates in a point 13 for facilitating the tie.

For the purpose of holding the upper por tion of the locking element in. a position beforholding the point 13 in alinement with the rear face thereof, 1 have secured to the inner wall by a suitable fastening-device,

the innerface of the upper portion of the shank 10 of the locking element 9.

The operation of my device is as follows i engagement of the locking element with a vond the plane of the rear face of the tie and S-"shaped leaf spring 1-5 at a point Whensit'is desired tos'ecure the rail 16 in position on within the aperturelS in the rail and driven The point 13- is arranged in.

downward. alinement with the :rear face of the wall and the upper portion of the shank 10 projects laterally at a substantial acute angle beyond the rear face 4: of; the spike. When the the. locking element 9 is'engaged by. the rail or tie when the same is being driven thereinto, the upper portion thereof will be forced inwardly against the tension of the spring-'15 and the point 13 of the hook 11 will be forced outwardlyinto locking engagement with the tie. 17 the cutting edge 12 of the locking element greatly facilitating the engagement with the tie and preventing the same from becoming broken. a

I desire to be understood that great'stress is laid upon the point 13 and the cutting 4 arrangement greatly facilitates the engagement of the locking element 9 with the tie and because of the, same the danger of breakage is the .tie'17, the spike-l is placed? ill) duced to a minimum. Attention is" also called to the fact that the shank of the locking element is enlarged about the pivot opening for the purpose of strengthening becoming broken. 1

.From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it can easily be seen that I have provided a device that is simple in construction, containing but a few simple parts that can be easily manufactured and assembled and when assembled can be placed on the market and sold at a minimum cost.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanying drawings comprehend only the'general' and preferred emthe same and for preventing the same from bodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in detail of construction, proportion and arrangement of the parts may be made within the scope of the appended claims and without sacrificing any .of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

the upper end of the element is forced into the recess during the application of the spike.

2. A rail spike including a head and a pointed shank, said shank provided with a longitudinally arranged tapering'recess, a locking element pivotally mounted within and conforming to the contour of the recess, a pointed hook formed on the lower end of said element, the lower edge of the hook being beveled to form a cutting edge, and resilient means positioned within the recess and bearing against the upper end of the locking element for maintaining the pointed hook in alinement with one of the faces of the shank.

3. A rail spike comprising a head and a pointed shank, said shank provided with a longitudinally arranged inwardly extending recess, said recess provided with a tapering wall, a'locking element pivotally mounted within and conforming to the contour of said recess, a pointed hook formed on the lower end of said element, the lower-edge of said hook being beveled to form a cutting edge, and a leaf spring secured to the taper-v ing wall of the recess, the free end of said spring bearing against the upper portion of said locking element for holding the upper portion thereof in a plane beyond the plane of the face of the shank and maintaining the pointed hook in alinement with the face. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEWART E. MOMILLIN.

Witnesses:

F. M. PERKINS, F. H. PERKINS. 

